Logistical Experts at Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) move critical parts around the world every day, supporting every geographic area of responsibility.
According to Zach Fittro, transportation distribution optimization department head, the team is continuously on the lookout for innovative ways to improve logistics management and efficiently deliver parts to the Fleet.
“Conditions are constantly evolving, and our job is to rapidly adapt to the operational environment,” said Fittro. “We regularly meet with stakeholders and commands around the world to identify, address, and support any transportation concerns they have.”
As part of their support to U.S. Southern Command operations, the experts provided comprehensive planning, coordination, and data integration to enable informed decision-making and efficient execution. This included leveraging mapping products to provide a common operational picture and tracking transportation modes and transit times from the continental U.S. to strategic nodes, with an emphasis on capturing shipment volume and total weight.
Furthermore, the Fleet Locator Team developed a customer-centric view of Department of Defense Activity Address Codes (DODAACs) for use in Puerto Rico. A DODAAC identifies specific units and ensures materials are routed accurately. Through the development and implementation of three new codes, the team established precise “ship-to” addresses that enabled proper routing of cargo into Puerto Rico for onward movement and distribution to the Fleet.
“Operations in contested areas don’t just happen,” said Joe Williams, fleet movement and support department head. “The transportation and distribution team has a critical role play to ensure the fleet can execute its mission in new locations.”
This initiative enhanced planners’ ability to accurately assess shipment volumes and associated transit timelines. Additionally, the team developed a logistics dashboard to provide visibility of cargo in transit, verification of receipt, and accurate and timely accountability to all stakeholders.
Establishing material processing operations in a new environment required close coordination between the carrier strike group, forward logistics, element, and commercial partners. Material processing operations ensured that cargo from commercial carriers was received by the forward logistics element, sorted, prioritized, and provided to the correct ship during port visits.
The NAVSUP WSS Fleet Movement & Systems Support team provided logistics automation tools, such as the Automated Manifesting System-Tactical (AMS-Tac), to help with this process. In December, two members of the team traveled to Puerto Rico to provide AMS-Tac training to forward logistics element personnel supporting the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. The in-person training provided to 25 Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and contractors included process assessments to improve operational efficiency, and AMS-Tac system configuration.
Training was conducted at each of the three locations where AMS-Tac software and hardware was being employed: Ft Buchannan, Munoz Air National Guard Base, and the Port of Ponce. This resulted in all sites fully implementing the U.S. Navy's Last Tactical Mile program of record.
"I witnessed an impressive display of inter-service synergy between the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force,” said Nathan Monroe, who provided on-the-ground training support. “The two services worked in concert to manage the logistics of supplying the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's most advanced combat platform. By utilizing AMS-Tac, cargo was efficiently processed for 'Cargo Onboard Delivery' flights, ensuring the Navy's premier vessel for power projection was fully supplied."
NAVSUP WSS provides the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied forces the program and supply support for the weapon systems that keep naval forces mission ready. With locations in Norfolk, Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, and Tucson, NAVSUP WSS manages operational readiness for almost 300 deployable ships, 92 submarines, and 3,700 aircraft worldwide.